Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Author Spotlight: Impact of Intergenic Interactions on Disease-Identifying Dark Biomarkers
Published on: March 1, 2024
Pseudogene CYP4Z2P 3'UTR promotes angiogenesis in breast cancer
Lufeng Zheng1, Xiaoman Li1, Yi Gu1
1School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Pseudogenes have long been marked as "false" genes, which are similar with real genes but have no apparent function. The 3'UTR is well-known to regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Our recent evidence, however, indicates novel functional roles of pseudogene CYP4Z2P 3'UTR (Z2P-UTR). We found that ectopic expression of Z2P-UTR in breast cancer cells significantly increased the expression of VEGF-A without affecting cell proliferation in vitro. Meanwhile, conditioned medium (CM) from Z2P-UTR overexpression cells enhanced proliferation, migration and tube formation of HUVEC, and promoted angiogenesis in ex vivo models. Also, CM increased the expression of VEGFR2 in HUVEC. Our data suggest that Z2P-UTR can promote breast cancer angiogenesis partly via paracrine pathway of VEGF-A/VEGFR2.
More Related Videos
11:44Analysis of Combinatorial miRNA Treatments to Regulate Cell Cycle and Angiogenesis
Published on: March 30, 2019
10:32Combined Use of Tail Vein Metastasis Assays and Real-Time In Vivo Imaging to Quantify Breast Cancer Metastatic Colonization and Burden in the Lungs
Published on: December 19, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Mechanism of Angiogenesis
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes